Page:Lewis & Dryden's marine history of the Pacific Northwest.djvu/294

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258
Lewis & Dryden's Marine History of the Pacific Northwest

steamer went over the Cascades, has been chief engineer for nearly ten years, having been connected with her longer than any other of her officers, with the exception of Captain Colson. The R. R. Thompson is two hundred and fifteen feet long, thirty-eight feet beam, and nine feet six inches hold, with engines twenty-eight by ninety-six inches; net tonnage, nine hundred and twelve. She was hauled out for extensive repairs in 1888 and was set afloat three months later with practically a new hull. In June, 1892, she sank near Mt. Coffin and was raised with great difficulty and brought to Portland for repairs (see 1892). The steamer S. G. Heed, built by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company for the lower river trade, was launched at Portland in July, 1878, making her trial trip September 9th. The following year she was operated as a seaside boat in charge of Richard Hoyt, captain, A. E. Dierdorff, chief engineer, W. G. Dillingham, purser, launch E. J. Moody, first officer. Capt. John Wolf afterward handled the steamer on the Cascade route, and Babbidge, Emken, Pease, Kindred, Moody, Bailey and Sullivan were in charge on the Astoria run. She was retired from service in 1894. The Reed was by one hundred and seventy-five feet long, thirty-three feet beam, and seven feet hold, with engines eighteen by eighty-four inches.

Steamer "John Gates"

The steamer John Gates was added to the Oregon Steam Navigation Company's upper river fleet in 1878. She was built at Celilo, and was one hundred and fifty-one feet long, thirty-two feet beam, four feet eight inches hold, with engines sixteen by fifty-four inches. W. P. Gray was her first: master, and he was succeeded by Pingston, Stump, Sampson. Troup and others. In 1884 Captain Troup made a record for the steamer by taking .

her over Priest, Rock Island and Cabinet rapids, the object of the fren ia

trip being to ascertain if the river was navigable. Among those trade.

aboard were General Gibbons and staff, H. S. Rowe. Charles Ladd,

John Gates and C. A. Dolph. The steamer was condemned several

years ago, and in 1894 her house was placed on the hull built for the

new steamer Lewiston. The Oregon Steam Navigation Company

built the //arvest Queen at Celilo in 1878 to run in comeetion with

the improved service on the middle and lower river. The Ozer

was the largest steamer on the upper river, and, while she was not ,

very rapid in her movements, was as elegantly cquipped as the rn




in whi cost t dollar:





steamers farther down stream, Capt. James W. Troup was given command and ran the Queen between Celilo and Lewiston until February, 1881, when she was taken over Tumwater Rapids. fur-

nishing one of the most exciting trips ever made on the Columbia.

She left Celilo, February 8th, in charge of Captain ‘Troup. with

Engineers De Huff and Pardun. When she struck the brink the Ps rudders were torn off and the wheel damaged. The next plunge , broke her starboard eccentric, and in this helpless condition she collided with a submerged rock, tearing a hole in the hull and filling two compartments. Rudderless and unmanageable, she swing from this obstruetion and shortly afterward encountered a reel. which tore off the bow and nosing. ‘The swift current parted the chuin of idan the anchor, which was dropped, but fortunately the kedge hel: her. Mier te In the meantime the engineers had partly repaired damage. and ee with one engine working through broken pillow blocks, she was landed, anc further repairs were mate 4A steamer week later she was taken through the little Dalles and on the eighteenth through the big Dalles. Cay: John ae MeNulty commanded the steamer on the middle river, where she remained until 18yo, when Captain Froup

piloted her safely over the Cascades. Since that time she has been engaged on the lower river, with Capt. fare Edward Sullivan in charge most of the time. The //areest Queen is two hundred feet long, thiriy-ser «it feet tea

beam, and seven feet six inches hold, with engines twenty by ninety-six inches. She was exte

sively 1) jstired in 18g0, While 1878 was the banner year of steamboat building in the history of the Oregon Stea


Cart. WitniaM P. GRAY




m Nav ation Company, a great many fine steamers were set afloat by others. The Zza/ie, the fastest and finest ste er